Tirupati: Task force seizes 20 red sanders logs

Tirupati: Red sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) on Saturday seized 20 red sanders logs from the forest area near Bhupal Colony in the city.

A car containing essentials which was ready for transporting the smugglers and the logs were also seized by the Task Force.

According to Task Force DSP KC Venkataiah, the three Task Force team

led by RSIs Vasu, Suresh and DRO Narasimha Rao took up combing of Karakambadi forest area in the city edge last night found the smugglers carrying red sanders logs coming out of the forest early in the morning on Saturday.

When the teams surrounded the smugglers and tried to nab them they were faced resistance from them and started attacking the personnel with stones. Undaunted, the Task Force personnel went ahead but could not nab the smugglers who managed to flee.

In the subsequent searches in the area, Task Force personnel found the logs which were left behind by the escaping smugglers and also in the car stationed in a residential area on the forest edge.

DSP Venkataiah said the seized red sanders logs were of high quality Tabla variety wood which is rare to found in the forest and has high demand in the international market. The search operation is on to track down the smugglers, he said.